It is nothing short of a miracle. A man from Manali, Himachal Pradesh, who was supposed to board a taxi from Red Fort on Monday – where the deadly blast rocked Old Delhi – is alive today because his plan changed at the last minute. On Monday night, a massive explosion near the Red Fort area of the capital killed at least nine people and injured more than 20. The powerful blast, carried out by a white Hyundai i20, took place around 6:52 pm at a traffic stop near the Red Fort Metro Station, Gate No. 1.
Ajay Singh, a hotelier from Manali, revealed how a sudden change of plan saved his life. Ajay planned to take a taxi home but decided to take the metro instead. He bought the ticket at 18:51 – just a minute before the deadly explosion.
Ajay Singh, Managing Director of Merakii Hospitality, shared his experience on LinkedIn: “Last night I was at Chandni Chowk and went to Red Fort to take a taxi back home. And then – out of the blue – I changed my mind and decided to take the metro instead. The ticket was purchased at 6:51 pm. If it wasn’t for that, there would have been a very random change of plan… to this.”
Reflecting on the close call, Ajay acknowledged that metro travel was a rare occurrence for him.
“That’s strange—I’ve never, trust me, never taken the subway back home. With loads of shopping bags in hand, taxis were the obvious choice. Still, I chose the subway for some reason. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was luck. Or maybe… it was karma doing its quiet work in the background. Sometimes life gives us subtle marks—for the subtle nudges we see, we’re able to feel today.” that small decision, for invisible protection and for a reminder that there is always something greater waiting for us.”
Latest update on Delhi blast case
Security has been beefed up at several locations across India following the blast. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said all “options” were being explored while several agencies were deployed to determine the motive behind the blast. The official confirmed to news agency PTI that preliminary findings suggest that it may have been “accidentally set off” while transporting a hastily assembled explosive device after the destruction of an interstate terror module.
Investigators are targeting Pulwama doctor Umar Nabi, who was driving the car used in the blast that killed 12 people. He allegedly had links with a terror module arrested while procuring explosives mainly from neighboring Faridabad in Haryana.
